Matured Dickson County boys extend their basketball season

Dickson County led by as many as 18 points and barely hung on in a 72-68 upset victory over Ravenwood in the quarterfinals of the District 11-AAA tournament at Ravenwood's gym on Friday, Feb, 16, 2018.
AJ Mazzolini / The Tennessean

Dickson County's D.J. Stacey goes for a lay up against Page. D.J. finished the night with 17 points(Photo: Howard Abell / For The Dickson Herald)

BRENTWOOD – Coach Jason Tigert wants to be clear. This Dickson County boys' basketball team is not the same squad from the beginning of the year.

That team would not have accomplished what the Cougars did Friday night as a No. 6 seed. Neither racing out to an 18-point lead on favored Ravenwood, nor grinding out the victory despite losing that overwhelming lead in the fourth quarter.

The team that features seven sophomores who see playing time has done some growing up since then. The result was a 72-68 District 11-AAA quarterfinals victory on the road over the third-seeded Raptors and a berth in the Class AAA West Regional tournament to follow.

"In December this would have been very difficult, no doubt," Tigert said. "Our sophomores have matured, our juniors have matured."

Hottest among those young guns perhaps is D.J. Stacy, a 5-foot-6 sophomore point guard with the shooter's stroke from behind the arc. Stacy was nearly responsible for Dickson's head start himself the way he shot the ball early.

He made five 3-pointers in the first half, part of the Cougars' eight total triples before intermission. They connected on 10 for the game.

Dickson County's Darian Burns with a lay up against Page. Darian was the leading scorer for the night with 20 points.(Photo: Howard Abell / For The Dickson Herald)

"We've shot it well throughout the season, it's something we're capable of, but it was timely to make eight in the first half," Tigert added.

Just as important as the hot shots was how Dickson played on the other end of the court. Defense, Stacy said, is what his team has improved on the most this season. Specifically the players' communication while defending.

It was lacking when these teams met Dec. 8, when a one-point game in the fourth quarter turned the Raptors' way in an 85-77 loss for Dickson.

"Our defense, rotating and talking, we were really bad on that early in the year.," said Stacy, who poured in 24 points in the latest game against Ravenwood. "... We just had to work hard in practice and the practice shows. Our offense is already kicking, just got to focus on defense."

The Cougars' have some senior leadership in the form of Noah Edmisson and Demontez Coleman, who helped keep the team together once its torrid start began to cool off. Ravenwood regained the lead with about 4 minutes remaining in the game. Then the veterans contributed the calming effect with free throws down the stretch.

A 75-percent success rate on free throws in the fourth quarter, another unlikely feat were this Ravenwood game played early in the season, sealed the quarterfinals win and extended the Cougars' season.

After squandering an 18-point advantage Tigert didn't allow himself to think about what comes next until the clock read all zeros.

"There's never a moment in my entire career where I've ever been comfortable and this is the reason why," he said after the Ravenwood comeback.